August 2009 Testing & News

Four Stevens Taekwondo Academy students earned new or advanced black belts in testing Sunday at the YMCA.

Cory Lesperance achieved third degree black belt with his demonstration of the taebek form, advanced kick combinations and a spinning hook speed break. Lesperance also sparred several times, showing knowledge of control and appropriate techniques for opponents of varied skills levels.

Nine-year-old Arrington Polman advanced to second degree black belt after performing the keumgang form, demonstrating kick combinations and sparring. Arrington broke his boards with a back spinning side kick and a skipping side kick.

Annika Polman and Thomas Lisack earned full first degree black belt status after oral examination on the history, tenets, symbols and goals of taekwondo, in addition to performing koryo and four taegeuk forms, sparring and kick combinations. Aniika, sponsored by her brother Arrington, broke her board with a back spinning side kick. Lisack, sponsored by assistant instructor Mark Henkel, broke with a working step back spinning side kick.

Two sisters took top honors in the color belt testing. Lydia Kelley , high green belt, won first place, with Anna Kelley, green belt, earning second place. Green belt Isaac Williams took home the third place trophy.

The testing was judged by Grandmaster Instructor Dwight Stevens and his assistant Mark Henkel.

Schedule for YMCA Classes and Testings

July 28 First class of new session

August 9 1 p.m. belt promotion test, APR at YMCA

August 13 8 p.m. make up testing, APR at YMCA

September 3 Last class of session

NO CLASSES SEPT. 8 & 10

September 15 First class of new session

September 26 NOTE NEW DATE

2009 U.S. Tournament of ChChampions , Concordia University, St. Paul, MN, To register call: 763-559-7091

October 11 1 p.m. belt promotion test, APR at YMCA

October 22 Last class of session

NO CLASSES OCT. 27 & 29

November 3 First class of new session

December 10 Last class of session

December 12 Black Belt Christmas Party (tentative)

December 13 1 p.m. belt promotion testing, gymnasium

Also, Dr. Stevens is planning a pressure point seminar, tentatively set for mid October.

Watch this site for details and date!

Black Belt News:

Senior Master James Henkel completed his doctoral work at the Medical College of Wisconsin and is now located in Silver Spring Maryland with wife Kayme. He is a postdoctoral fellow at Uniformed

Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda MD.

In addition to earning his first degree black belt, Thomas Lisack successfully defended his dissertation this spring and earned his doctorate in educational leadership.

Third degree black belt Bridgette Magno graduated from Western Technical College here in La Crosse, with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Radiography, or in simple terms, an X-ray tech.

Master Hilde Henkel taught two "Intro to Taekwondo" classes for Wood

County Extension’s “Something for Summer” in June with pleasant and eager children.

Twenty black belts attended or participated in the wedding

of Master Chelsea Lovejoy and Master Andrew Williams in July. Congratulations to the newlyweds and thanks for a wonderful occasion to gather folks together. One of the highlights of the event was the bride’s dance with her father, Master Vern Lovejoy which included a well-choreographed sparring sequence. The kung fu dancing was special too!

June Promotion Testing and News

Summer kicked off with testing and belt promotion at the YMCA for students of Stevens Taekwondo Academy.

Achieving the rank of senior master black belt with a sixth degree black belt, Bill Dragolovich demonstrated advanced board breaking with a jump back spinning axe kick and then a back spinning side kick through two boards, in addition to several demonstration kicks. Dragolovich also gave an oral presentation based on the paper he submitted, comparing taekwondo to other martial arts. He performed the jitae form. Dragolovich has trained with the Stevens Taekwondo Academy since 1986, and was named black belt of the year in 2002.

Three other martial artists entered the black belt ranks as deputy black belt with strong testing performances of five taegeuk forms, advanced kick combos and sparring. Brian Hoch shattered a board with a back spinning hook kick, Gregg Hakomaki II snapped his board with a back spinning outside crescent kick, and Bri Tarpey broke her board with an axe kick.

Three color belts received trophies for their excellent performances in the testing. High yellow belt Matt Lopez won first place, new yellow belts and father-daughter duo Mike and Alida Richards earned second and third place.

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens and assistant instructor Mark Henkel judged the testing.

Black Belt News

Mandi Hoppa stopped in at the YMCA workouts Thursday to greet old friends. Mandi is currently living in Arizona.

William Jenkins graduated this month from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis Maryland , receiving a bachelor’s degree in oceanography. He was commissioned as an ensign in the U. S. Navy. He begins studies for a masters in acoustical engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey California later this month, followed by the Navy Nuclear Power School and duty in submarines. Bill visited the YMCA workouts where he presented Dr. Stevens with a Navy cap to balance the Army cap which was part of the Christmas gifts.

Master Andrew Williams recently celebrated a bachelor gathering in Rudolph, hosted by Master John Henkel. Attending, in addition to Andrew’s brothers Dan and Mark, were Master Jim Henkel, Master Kevin Klapoetke, Master Justin Buehler and Jeff Lane. With weather ruling out volleyball, outdoor eating and paintball, the group enjoyed poker, food, movies and beverages, before touring several local beverage establishments, with the prospective groom in ball and chain.

Master Jim Henkel will be completing his defense of his doctoral research and paper in July and then moving to Bethesda, Maryland, where he will begin a research position at the Uniformed Services University.

15 Black Belts at April 2009 Testing

More than 75 martial artists showed their skills Sunday at the Stevens Point YMCA as they were tested for new belt levels. Fifteen people earned new or advanced black belts..

Teodoro Garcia and Morgan Carlton earned third degree black belts with sharp performances of the taebek form, advanced sparring and advanced kick combinations. Garcia shattered a board with a back-spinning hook speed break, and Carlton snapped his board with a back-spinning hook kick.

Ryan Franckowiak, Erin Schraufnagel, Matthew Straub and Bridget Williams all used spinning or jumping back side kicks to smash two-inch boards as they advanced to second degree black belts. The quartet also sparred, demonstrated advanced kick combinations and performed the keumgang form.

Julie Hasek, Daniel Roberson and Kim Verburgt achieved full first degree black belt levels with their performance of koryo and four taegeuk forms, kick combos and sparring. Hasek broke her board with a spinning hook kick. Roberson jumped over 4 people to break with a flying side kick, and Verburgt used an inside crescent, 360-front kick for her break. The three answered questions from black belts in an oral exam on the techniques, history, and symbols of taekwondo.

Bryant Hedrington, Keisha Kavalauskas, Sam Smith Jaclyn Schmitz and
mother-son duo Kim Regnitz and Dylan Regnitz joined the black belt ranks as deputy black belts following testing which included advanced kick combinations, sparring and performance of five taegeuk forms. Hedrington, Kavalauska, Schmitz, Kim Regnitz and Dylan Regnitz used spinning side kicks to break their boards, while Sam Smith used a flying side kick.

Green belt Kimberly Multerer won first place for excellence at testing, from more than 60 students. New blue belt Chong Chang earned second place and high red belt Bri Tarpey took the third place trophy.

The testing was judged by master instructor Dwight Stevens, Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich. The students participating train at Stevens YMCA Taekwondo Academy, Stevens Taekwondo Academy and the Medical College of Wisconsin taekwondo club.


Other taekwondo news:

Local martial artists competed at two tournaments in April.

Second degree black belt Ryan Franckowiak won third place in men’s black belt sparring at the 32nd Pan American Taekwondo Championships in Rochester MN earlier this month. The competition was sponsored by the Park Institute at the John Marshall High School.

Kyle Mealy, second degree black belt, won first place in karate weapons competition, second in karate sparring and forms and third place in traditional forms competition for adult black belts at the 6th Annual Capital City Classic at the Madison Sheriton Hotel.

Also at the Madison tournament, sponsored by Paiks Traditional Martial Arts, second degree black belt Mark Stenerson took second place in traditional forms and third place in sparring. In the boys/girls, 15-17 year-old black belt division, Third degree black belt Hannah Lovejoy earned second place in sparring and Ryan Zorn, second degree black belt, took third place in sparring. Matt Lopez, high white belt, earned second place in both sparring and forms for the 18 to 24 year-old men and women’s division.

The Stevens Point YMCA chose first dan black belt Leopoldo Soria as "YMCA Kid" and are featuring his story and photo at the desk---check it out it you are in town.

Second degree black belt Chris (Vicker) Strohbusch was visiting in Stevens Point, and volunteered to help type the belt certificates for more than 75 students.

February Testing 2009

Martial artists ranging from beginning white belts to master level black belts tested at the YMCA recently. More than fifty students from Stevens Taekwondo Academy schools at the YMCA, Stevens Point and Sun Prairie and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo classes earned new ranks.

Dr. Ron Locascio earned fifth degree black belt ranking. Locascio performed the advanced sipjin form and then captured the attention of every student, black belt and spectator as he gave his oral presentation. Locascio spoke of how the taekwondo training his family had gained at the school had recently allowed his son to react and survive a life-threatening situation.

Advancing to third degree black belt, Kevin Konopacky performed advanced kick combinations and the taebek form before snapping a free-standing board with a blind back spinning knife hand.

Eight-year-old Arrington Polman earned his first degree black belt, demonstrating both skill and poise. He performed koryo and four taegeuk forms and then sparred and answered an extensive oral examination on taekwondo training, history and tenets. Arrington broke his board with a working step 360-degree side kick.

Joining her brother in the black belt ranks, Annika Polman achieved deputy black belt level. She performed rigorous kick combinations and five taegeuk forms, sparred and broke her board with a back spinning side kick.

Three of the color belt students received trophies for excellence at the testing. High green belt Thomas Lima won the first place trophy, high green belt Allison McLeod took second place and high red belt Ginny Neufeld was awarded third place.
Students attending had trained at YMCA, Stevens Point and Sun Prairie school of the Stevens Taekwondo Academy and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program. They were judged by Grandmaster Dwight Stevens and masters Mark Henkel, Peter Chan of Milwaukee, Bill Dragolovich and Vern Lovejoy

2009 Schedule & News

Testing and YMCA Class Schedule

Jan. 6 First YMCA class of new year
Feb. 12 Last YMCA class of session
FEB. 15 1 P.M. Belt Promotion Testing
All Purpose Room
****No YMCA classes Feb. 17 & 19****
Feb. 24 First YMCA class of new session
Make-up testing 7:45 P.M.
****No YMCA classes- spring break****
April 9 Last YMCA class of session
****No YMCA classes April 14 & 16****
April 19 1 P.M. Belt Promotion Testing
All Purpose Room
April 21 First YMCA class of new session
Make up test 7:45 P.M.
May 28 Last YMCA class of session
****No YMCA classes June 2 & 4****
June 9 First YMCA class of session
June 14 1 P.M. Belt Promotion Testing
All Purpose Room
June 18 Make up Test 7:45 P.M.
July 16 Last YMCA class of session
****No YMCA classes July 21 & 23****


Black Belt News
The prospective black belt clan has expanded:

Masters Kim and Justin Buehler welcomed second

daughter Elizabeth Grace on January 19. Congratulations!

Outstanding Black Belt of 2008

Ben Nummelin, second degree black belt, was honored by the Stevens Taekwondo YMCA Academy as the Outstanding Black Belt of 2008 recently. Nummelin, who had wanted martial arts training for a long time, has trained at the academy since September 2004, following the recommendation of his friend Master Kevin Klapoetke.

Nummelin was nominated for the award by fellow black belts who cited his contributions in teaching and his excellence in demonstration of forms and sparring. Nummelin is a geotechnical engineer for Nummelin Testing.

The award, a memorial to black belt M. J. Attoe, who died in a 1994 car accident, was presented by Joyce Kavalauskas, Attoe’s mother.


Taekwondo students test

Four martial artists earned new or higher black belts in promotion testings at the YMCA recently.

Ten-year-old Rosabella Wolosek became the fourth member of her family to earn the rank of second-degree black belt, joining sisters Stephanie, Morgan and Elisabeth . Rosabella performed the keumgang form, demonstrated advanced sparring and kick combinations and then cleanly snapped one board with a back spinning sidekick and another with an axe kick.

Leopoldo Soria and Whitney Lotzer achieved full black belt status in extensive testing which included advanced kick combinations and sparring, performing koryo and four taegeuk forms and a lengthy oral grilling on the history, symbols and rules of taekwondo. Soria broke his board with a back spinning sidekick. Lotzer combined an inside crescent with a back spinning hook for her board break.

Entering the black belt ranks as a deputy black belt, Kimberly Verburgt sparred, demonstrated five taegeuk forms and snapped her board with a 360-back spinning sidekick.

Three of the more than sixty students testing for color belts were awarded trophies for excellence. High blue belt Russell Winkel won first place, high yellow belt Alexandria Ludwig earned second place and new yellow belt Alyssa Abel took home third place honors.

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens was assisted in judging the testing by senior master Mark Henkel and master Bill Dragolovich.

2008 Black Belt Christmas Party

This year’s Christmas party was held at the Boston School Forest lodge in Plover. The outdoor paths were lit with luminaries and the wildlife displays interested adults and children, bringing about some very interesting conversations about wolverines, fishers and wolves.

The food was again delicious and abundant. Everyone enjoyed the crackling fire and time to relax and talk.

Dr. Stevens was surprised and pleased by the digital frame, pre-loaded with nearly 100 photos of black belts, trophy winners and other taekwondo shots, contributed by Luanna Held, Carol Landrath, Kim and Justin Buehler and Hilde Henkel. Other gifts included a entry mat with “The family that kicks together, sticks together” and a sharp U S Army insignia cap.

The piñatas provided quite a challenge this year but indomitable spirit finished them off.

Other black belt news news:

Master Chelsea Lovejoy missed the black belt party in favor of graduation ceremonies.

Master Kim Buehler was perhaps the most pregnant black belt to run testing in December as she demonstrated perfect form and balance. The second daughter of masters Kim and Justin is due mid-January.

Three Earn Black Belts

More than 65 students of Stevens Taekwondo Academy earned new belts, including three black belts, in the promotion testing held recently at the Stevens Point YMCA.

Matt Moore earned a second degree black belt with demonstrations of kick combinations, sparring and the keumgang form. Moore powered through a two-inch board with a jump spin side kick.

Ryan Franckowiak moved up to first degree black belt following his testing which included advance kick combinations, performance of koryo and four taegeuk forms, sparring, and a lengthy oral examination on the tenets and history of taekwondo. Franckowiak split a board with a back spinning hook kick.

Thomas Lisack entered the black belt ranks as a deputy after his performance of five taegeuk forms, kick combinations and sparring. Lisack smashed through his board on the first try with a working step back spinning side kick.

New high red belts Bryant Hedrington and Sam Smith took home the trophies for excellence in the testing

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens judged the testing, assisted by Masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich. Masters Eric Eberhardy and Shawn Strunsee, from the Milwaukee Southwest YMCA participated.

Black Belt Christmas Party

Information about the annual party will be coming to all on the active black belt list soon. Meantime, plan on December 13 in Stevens Point and please send any ideas about gifts or contributions for them to Master Karen Johnson or Master Hilde Henkel.

Black Belt News

Third dan black belt Donelle Ostrowski captured the grand championship of forms, and a four-foot-tall trophy, for a record-setting fourth year running at the Mid-Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships in Wisconsin Rapids. The event is hosted by the Park Institute and Master John Chrystal.

Masters John Henkel and Andrew Williams participated in, and survived, an ambitious six-hour taekwondo workout in Madison Wisconsin recently.

Robert Konopacky, the father of black belts Kevin Konopacky and Jill Reed, and grandfather of black belts Bethany Reed, Krysti, Kolby and Kahner Konopacky, died recently. The entire family has the sympathy of the black belt family.